About Project CodeNet by IBM

“Software is eating the world,” a statement made famous by US entrepreneur Marc Andreessen in 2011, highlights the pervasive nature of software in our modern world. From financial services to healthcare, smartphones to smart homes, and even cars with over 100 million lines of code, software is everywhere. However, managing such vast volumes of code is challenging. Modernizing aging software infrastructure is crucial, and this is where IBM’s Project CodeNet comes into play. Project CodeNet is a comprehensive dataset designed to teach AI how to code. It boasts around 14 million code samples, totaling about 500 million lines of code, spanning over 55 different programming languages. This includes modern languages like C++, Java, Python, and Go, as well as legacy languages such as COBOL, Pascal, and FORTRAN.

Features of Project CodeNet

  1. Large Dataset: Project CodeNet is vast, containing approximately 14 million code samples and about 500 million lines of code.
  2. Diverse Programming Languages: The dataset covers more than 55 programming languages, from modern ones to legacy languages.
  3. High-Quality Metadata and Annotations: The dataset is enriched with metadata and annotations, providing details like code size, memory footprint, CPU run time, and status, which indicates acceptance or error types.
  4. Problem Descriptions: Over 90% of the problems in the dataset come with a concise problem statement, input format specification, and output format.
  5. Sample Input and Output: For over half of the coding problems, sample input and output have been curated, which is essential for determining the equivalence of two code samples in different languages.
  6. Reinforcement Learning Techniques: The dataset can drive reinforcement learning techniques for code translation, enabling researchers to program intent equivalence when translating one programming language into another.
  7. Diverse Use Cases: Project CodeNet can be used for code search, clone detection, automatic code correction, and more. Its rich metadata allows for regression studies and prediction.
  8. Benchmark Dataset: Given its vast collection of programs in various languages, Project CodeNet can serve as a benchmark dataset for source-to-source translation, similar to how the ImageNet dataset revolutionized computer vision.

Additional Features

  • AI for Code Stack Application: IBM has applied its AI for Code stack to modernize software infrastructure. For instance, IBM assisted a large automotive client in updating a $200 million asset comprising 3,500 multi-generation Java files. Using the AI for Code stack, IBM reduced the code migration process from a year to just four weeks, generating over 25 new cloud-native microservices.
  • Business Value: With Project CodeNet, IBM aims to provide lasting business value for enterprises as they embark on their IT modernization journeys. The project is not just about advancing AI for code but also about ensuring businesses can modernize efficiently and effectively.